Apr 19, 2008
For the seventh time in a row, Audi starts from the pole position in the DTM. As at the Hockenheim season opener a week ago, the new Audi A4 DTM cars fielded by Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline were in a class of their own in qualifying at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. Timo Scheider, Tom Kristensen and Martin Tomczyk clinched grid positions one to three for Audi. Youngster Oliver Jarvis in Audi Sport Team Phoenix’s A4 from last year in fourth position ensured that the first two rows on the grid are firmly in Audi’s hands on Sunday.
The pole position was again captured by the German Timo Scheider in the GW:plus/Top Service Audi A4 DTM. At Oschersleben, the 29-year-old set the fastest times in all practice sessions, in the qualifying he relegated his team-mate Tom Kristensen to second place on the grid by 132 thousandths of a second. Scheider kept his cool even when an incident occurred in the first qualifying session: while driving over the kerbs the bonnet of his A4 loosened. Scheider had to start a second trial that saw him move to the front with a commanding lead.
Martin Tomczyk caused quite a bit of suspense as well. He only advanced to position three on the grid shortly before the end of qualifying. On Friday and in the morning’s free practice, Tomcyzk had not been completely satisfied yet with the setup of his A4. But at the right moment, everything fit perfectly. Hockenheim winner Mattias Ekström, on the other hand, had to settle for eighth place. In the third section the Swede no longer managed to achieve his personal best time from the second session, which would have given him position three on the grid.
Bruno Spengler in fifth, in the quickest Mercedes, was running behind by as much as over half a second. Oliver Jarvis in last year’s A4 even managed to move in front of the best Mercedes. By performing this feat, Audi’s youngest factory driver – aged 24 – confirmed his strong Hockenheim performance.
The starting grid at Oschersleben
1 Timo Scheider (GW:plus/Top Service Audi A4 DTM) 1m 21.146s
2 Tom Kristensen (Audi A4 DTM) 1m 21.278s
3 Martin Tomczyk (Red Bull Audi A4 DTM) 1m 21.598s
4 Oliver Jarvis (Best Buddies Audi A4 DTM) 1m 21.714s
5 Bruno Spengler (Mercedes) 1m 21.718s
6 Paul di Resta (Mercedes) 1m 21.740s
7 Jamie Green (Mercedes) 1m 21.757s
8 Mattias Ekström (Red Bull Audi A4 DTM) 1m 21.772s
9 Markus Winkelhock (Playboy Audi A4 DTM) 1m 21.970s
10 Bernd Schneider (Mercedes) 1m 22.025s
11 Mike Rockenfeller (S line Audi A4 DTM) 1m 22.255s
12 Gary Paffett (Mercedes) 1m 22.692s
13 Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes) 1m 23.166s
14 Alexandre Prémat (Audi Bank/Shell Helix Audi A4 DTM) 1m 21.996s
15 Maro Engel (Mercedes) 1m 22.666s
16 Mathias Lauda (Mercedes) 1m 22.913s
17 Christijan Albers (Audi A4 DTM) 1m 23.001s
18 Susie Stoddart (Mercedes) 1m 23.087s
19 Katherine Legge (Audi A4 DTM) 1m 23.300s
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